For The Fifth Time
by Tainted Ink And Paper
Summary: Oneshot. AxP. The 5 times Aerrow tried to say ‘I love you’ and the 4 times that Piper just didn’t hear it.


Plot: One shot. 5 times Aerrow tried to say 'I love you' and the 4 times that Piper just didn't hear it. AxP

Disclaimer: I don't own Stormhawks

**For the Fifth Time…**

**A Stormhawks Oneshot**

**1. Maps**

It didn't take long for the Stormhawks to figure out that they were in a remote area of the Atmos. This was a place where no sky knight had ever treaded before. This was a great opportunity for adventure, a place to prove themselves as the best of the best once more.

There was only one problem.

They were lost.

Their trusted leader was pacing back and forth, trying to figure out what to do now. Finn was busy jabbering about the possible outcomes of doom that could befall on them, something that Stork happily indulged in. Meanwhile Junko was trying to calm them all with his kind words. Nothing was helping.

The sky knight Aerrow just couldn't help but blame himself for this incident. If he hadn't gone chasing after the Dark Ace again, then they wouldn't have ended up in an uncharted part of the Atmos. He had put his beloved team in danger. Sure, they were used to danger and what not… but this area of the Atmos had nearly gotten them killed.

The condor was in repairs. Nothing seemed to work: not the lights, not the navigation systems and certainly not the sky rides. Despite all things, Junko had gotten severely injured after their brutal crash upon defeating the Dark Ace once more while Finn had almost gotten an concussion and Stork was wounded on the chest. While Aerrow barely made it alive from the Dark Ace with a few scratches he had been most concerned for Piper…

She had nearly been killed by the Dark Ace's attack… Thank goodness she had blocked it with her staff… Aerrow wouldn't have been able to live with himself if she had died. Piper was very important to him.

In fact, Piper was busy mumbling to herself, using her crystals for light as she read over the varied maps of the Atmos. There was a pencil in her fingers as she threaded her hair in frustration. If Aerrow hadn't been so worried, he would've teased her for it. She always had a way of making herself look so adorable without even trying.

Not that he was paying attention or anything… Aerrow stopped in his pacing to look at Piper. Radarr jumped up to the table with a squawk. Aerrow gave Piper a pleading look, "Well…?"

At first she frowned deeply, so in tuned to her work that she nearly missed what he said. Instantly Piper snapped out of her concentration with a smile, "We're in a very far-off quadrant of the Atmos, but I think I can safely navigate us back to Terra Saharr, Aerrow. This map is the one."

The Stormhawks burst out in celebration the instant Piper spoke the magic words that always seemed to get them out of trouble.

"Piper you're brilliant!" Aerrow praised giving her a hearty pat on the shoulder. Then he whispered to her without even knowing it, "I love you."

Nearly everyone but Piper paused at that sudden declaration, waiting for what Piper would say next.

However, their navigator had been distracted when she dropped her pencil, "Uh, sorry Aerrow, I didn't hear that. What did you say?"

Aerrow blinked, "Uh… nothing Piper, just um… look at that scenery… er… its really beautiful."

"Aerrow we're in a quadrant that looks worse than Cyclonia."

"Er… right."

Finn rolled his eyes, "Pay up Stork, she didn't hear him _again_! Told you!"

Stork groaned and reluctantly pulled out his money, "One of these days Finn…"

Radarr merely shook his head in annoyance. How could Aerrow and Piper be so clueless?

**2. Girls**

Dove looked at Aerrow with pity, "When are you ever going to shape up Aerrow?"

The sky knight blinked, "What are you talking about Dove?"

"Aren't you going to tell her how you feel already?"

"I did!" he pouted, "Like… once…"

She was not convinced and neither was Starling.

As a skilled sky knight, Starling was also adept at reading people from their actions. The lone Interceptor knew that Aerrow was obviously not trying hard enough. If Piper had really heard Aerrow's confession then the two would've been a couple by now. It irked Starling to see her friends in such a pointless emotional turmoil. Couldn't they just admit that they liked each other and be done with?

This was why Starling had arranged this meeting between Dove, Aerrow and herself. Starling knew that Aerrow was a pushover when it came to feminine wills… especially if there was more than two women. It would just take her and Dove to persuade Aerrow to confess his feelings again.

"That is not good enough Aerrow, I thought you were a sky knight," Starling reprimanded him, "You're supposed to be fearless."

"Oui, I agree, you are being hopeless," Dove shook her head in even more pity.

The childish side of Aerrow awakened at once, "I am _not_ childish! I can confess my feelings to her… it's just timing that's all!"

"Hm… somehow I'm unconvinced. Perhaps it would be more prudent for you to practice confessing your feelings with a partner of some sort," Starling suggested in a very cordial way.

Aerrow gave them a funny look, "Where am I going to find someone who would agree to that? There is no way I'm going to embarrass myself in front of them!"

"You could practice on Starling," Dove shrugged.

Starling rolled her eyes, "No. I'm way too old for him. Besides, Dove, you know I have a fiancé who would brutally rip Aerrow apart if he dared."

Dove paused, and nodded, "Oui, j'oublie… I forgot. Well, you could practice with me Aerrow."

He blushed a beet red and disagreed, "There is no way I'm succumbing to this."

A dark aura rose from Starling, she was starting to lose her temper, "_Aerrow_, do you love Piper or not?! It's not like your attempts are working!"

All the young sky knight could do was splutter in disbelief.

Ok. So Aerrow's 'I-must-tell-Piper-how-I-feel-about-her' plans weren't working so well, but hey, he was just eighteen. He had time. Sort of. Well. Piper wasn't going anywhere right? Well… maybe Starling and Dove were right… he did need practice.

Reluctantly Aerrow nodded, "Alright… but just this once! You better critique me ok?"

"Yes, yes we will," Starling and Dove agreed off handedly.

Thus, Aerrow began his awkward mock confession of love.

"Um… Piper…"

"Don't hesitate," Starling cut in.

Aerrow gave her a glare.

Starling merely gave him an innocent glance, "You did tell me to critique…"

He sighed and continued, "Ok. Piper, I need to talk to you."

"Better."

"Starling please _shut up_!"

She chuckled to his irritancy.

Dove couldn't hold back her amused smile, and played along for Aerrow's benefit, "Yes Aerrow, what is it?"

By now Aerrow was ripe tomato red and beyond embarrassed. Just how was he supposed to say the perfect words to some girl who was barely his friend?!

_Do this for Piper!_

"Piper… I've always cared about you and thought about you in… well… as more than a friend… I… well… er…"

"Don't stutter. It's pathetic."

"_Starling_…" Aerrow was ready to chop her head off, comrade or not.

Trying to be angelic, Starling gave him an impish smile.

"Alright, let's change it then. Piper, you are one of the amazing people I've ever met! You're a girl who can wrestle in the mud, punch out talons, defeat night crawlers, win arm wrestles and I…"

Starling cut in once more, "Are you confessing your feelings to a man Aerrow? Piper is a woman and women like it when you compliment them for their personality."

Aerrow snapped, "Alright that's it! Piper _I love you damn it! Why won't you return my feelings?!_"

They were all silent.

Piper was gaping at the three of them, for she had just walked in on the wrong moment.

If Aerrow was red before, he was purple now.

"PIPER?!" Aerrow exclaimed heatedly.

Piper was blushing, and panicking at the same time, "Um… I'll just leave you three alone…"

"Wait… what? Piper, where are you going?!"

"I'll just leave you alone with _them_, Aerrow," Piper proclaimed loudly, "I didn't know you were into _threesomes_ you pervert!"

"THREESOMES?! PERVERT?! WAIT, PIPER! THIS IS A MISTAKE!"

As Aerrow ran after her, Dove and Starling burst into laughter, "Oh she is soooo jealous!"

"It's so obvious that she loves him back."

**3. Sickness**

It's hard to watch someone you care about lie sick in bed. It was also hard to know that there was nothing Aerrow could do to cure her. All he could do was stand by her bed side, hoping to be useful. Of course, he already knew that she would never ask him for anything. She always tried to do so much on her own.

Aerrow stoked Piper's hair and admired how pretty she looked with her hair down. Stork warned him not to get too close to Piper, or he'd be sick in the morning. Aerrow was never one to listen to warnings.

The sky knight suddenly felt impulsive. He knew she wouldn't hear him but he had to say it to her… so he just did.

He leaned down to Piper's cheek and kissed it, whispering, "I love you."

The next day, it was no surprise that he got sick. But he didn't care, because Piper was next to him.

**4. Wine**

"FINN!" Piper roared in the middle of Princess Perry's party.

The sharp shooter whimpered and hid behind his best friend.

Piper looked very elegant in her blue dress which distinguished her from Princess Peregrine. The Stormhawks had been invited over to her terra to celebrate the Princess' birthday…

But then chaos erupted.

"You… SPIKED… Aerrow's punch?!" Piper seethed at him.

"Hey I can't help it if I know how to push his buttons! All I had to do was challenge him to a drinking contest and he was all in for it! It's not my fault he's a lightweight who can't hold his liquor!" Finn tried to sell himself off.

Junko decided to be the peacemaker… again, "Yeah but Finn… you cheated. You didn't drink any punch."

If they weren't in the presence of a dear friend of Piper's, in public or in front of royalty, Piper would've dropkicked Finn to the moon.

Poor Aerrow was drunk out of his wits because of Finn's stupid game!

Storming out of the grand hall, Piper dragged the drunken Aerrow by the arm. She needed to get him to the condor so that he could get bed rest. Now if only he would stop leaning on her arm affectionately… it was making her blush.

The navigator hoped that Aerrow wouldn't say or do anything stupid under his alcohol induced state.

"…nngh… hurts…" Aerrow groaned.

Immediately Piper was trying to coax him, "Aerrow? You're going to be ok… I'm just taking you to your room ok?"

Aerrow gave no indication of understanding what she said. He merely clutched on to her arm even more tightly and murmured against her sleeve. Piper shivered as he breathed in her scent.

"…so warm…"

Heat rushed to her face, "Aerrow…"

"… mm… I…"

Her heart started to beat faster—the cause unknown. Warmth started to creep in her chest, fluttering like butterflies. Piper swallowed slowly, frozen by Aerrow's proximity to herself. She suddenly felt… shy.

His fingers were touching her neck… and Aerrow's breath was suddenly tickling her ear, making her blush further. Then… he whispered the most insane words to her.

"… I love you Piper…"

She felt like she was going to cry. Piper shook her head, "No, Aerrow, you don't mean it… you're intoxicated… delusional…"

Even under the influence of alcohol, Aerrow protested, "no… I mean it… I love you…"

They were at his room, Piper was laying him on the bed like a child. A frown passed on her face, "I wish you knew what you were saying Aerrow…"

"…I do…"

But she didn't hear his whisper as she walked out of the room.

**5. Academy**

"Piper."

He was annoyed. Piper rolled her eyes.

"Piper."

"Aerrow."

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"You're going?"

He sounded a bit desperate… maybe she was imagining things…She ignored him as she packed up her things.

"_Piper._"

His voice was getting more urgent, but Piper continued to put her crystals into her bags. Every ounce of energy she had was going into the process of packing.

Finally he grabbed her wrists, holding her hands in his own. None of them realized that they were trembling.

Aerrow reached out to her cheek, "Piper… please look at me…"

"… you know I…"

"Piper don't leave us… don't leave the Stormhawks to go to that school! Please! You belong with us… you belong with… with me… I need you here with me Piper. I can't do this without you! We're a team, we compliment each other… we… we make the Stormhawks _work_, without you… we'll fall apart… I…. and I…." Aerrow began rambling now.

Her amber eyes widened, "what are you talking…?"

He kissed her chastely on the lips. Piper was flabbergasted. Aerrow was now looking at her intensely, like she was the only one in the whole world…

"I love you Piper."

There was a silence. The clock continued to tick. Aerrow began to feel at unease with Piper, seeing no reaction from her at all…

She smiled.

"I'm not leaving… I'm just _visiting_ the academy to fix their crystal matrixes… they needed an expert opinion… Honestly, why would I ever leave you Aerrow? You must know that I love you too." Piper laughed at him.

Aerrow didn't answer.

He merely plotted Finn's death slowly in his head. But then he thought better of it… maybe he should be thinking Finn instead.

At least she listened this time. At least she heard him say 'I love you'.

-

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Really, really cheesy I know… but I was in the mood for some fluffy stuff so I wrote this…. Er…. It's not that great I know… I wrote it on a whim… not really planned.

I'm going to try to update 'Whatever Happened to the Dark Ace' soon. Thanks for reading my really lame oneshot :)


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